


Inequality Issues

by KellyLiz



Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-23
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 08:50:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KellyLiz/pseuds/KellyLiz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lizzie and Darcy talk about finances. Future Fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inequality Issues

**Author's Note:**

> "And he thought we had inequality issues before." -Lizzie, ep. 96

I frowned and rubbed my forehead as I looked at the spreadsheet again. My business was doing okay but the money came in somewhat erratically. I drew a moderate salary but with my student loans I was just making ends meet most months. A little more revenue would be nice to help me pay back my loans sooner and let me feel I could breathe a bit easier.

I heard a light knock on my open office door. William leaned in, and my mood lightened instantly. “Hi,” I beamed at him. It was Friday evening, and we made a point of driving to work together on Fridays and going home promptly at 5:00. It gave us the chance to kick back and start our weekend in the best way possible with just each other.

“Are you ready?” He walked over to my desk and I saw his face change when he saw what I was working on. I saved my spreadsheet and logged off. “All set!” I was determined to be cheerful and stop worrying. It wouldn’t help to spoil our weekend.

William took my hand as we walked to his car. Something about the set of his jaw warned me he was working out something he wanted to say. We talked inconsequentially about our work on the drive home. He and I had both learned about the importance of timing from each other.

William picked up the mail, and I dropped my bag and headed straight into our bedroom to change into something comfortable. I had stripped to my underclothes and was about to grab a t-shirt when William’s long arms came around me from behind and pulled me on the bed. He could be surprisingly stealthy. 

I laughed and looked at him appraisingly. “Someone here is overdressed.”

“If you say so,” he unhooked my bra and tossed it across the room.

“Well played, Mr. Darcy.” I reached over and started pulling off his tie. It wasn’t long before he managed to release all of my stress in the best way.

We lay on our sides after, relaxed and spent. William stroked my hair, his other arm loosely around me. His tenderness never ceased to move me.

“Do you realize that I spend less money now that you are living with me than I did living alone?” When he decided he was ready, there was little preamble.

“How is that even possible?” I couldn’t keep the skepticism from my voice. 

“I go out to dinner less now that I have you to cook with at home. When we do go out, you pay half the time. You pay for half of the utilities and that programmable heat thermostat you bought has saved a good amount on our electrical bills. We go to Costco every month for supplies that cost a fraction of what I used to pay and we go to the grocery store instead of having groceries delivered. You shop around for the best prices on everything. You even persuaded me to stop dry-cleaning my shirts, shaving hundreds of dollars from my bill.”

I grinned at him. Money issues were difficult and I wanted to keep this light. “Those are all good things, right? And when I pay for our dinner, it’s usually tacos or Chinese food.”

“I’m not complaining. My point is that I have benefited financially from you living with me, but you have not by living with me. It feels wrong. I understand you want to pay your own way. But I feel awful that you are struggling to get by when I have so much and you refuse to let me help.” William was definitely working to keep this serious.

“That’s not true.” I protested. “You do help. I’m living with you in this amazing condo which is a huge contrast to my old studio apartment.” I mentally braced myself. I knew he was just getting started.

“You shouldn’t be paying me half of our grocery bill,” his voice deepened with emotion. “Not only do I eat far more than you, but because of me, you are paying for more expensive items.”

I looked away but couldn’t argue that.

“Admit it, Lizzie. If not for me, you’d eat cereal you found on sale a couple nights a week for dinner.” He was also surprisingly perceptive.

“So you are helping me be healthier!” I smiled winningly. He was not deterred.

“I’m causing you to spend more and you are helping me to spend less,” he reiterated emphatically.

“I let you pay for our theater season tickets,” I pointed out. 

“Which I had before we were together. You even insist on paying for our subscription to Netflix. Technically, we use your entertainment far more than our theater seats.” Did I mention he was determined?

I laughed. “Hey, I can handle the $16 per month for Netflix. Besides, you pay for our cable and internet.”

“Again, I paid for those before you moved in. It doesn’t cost me more because you also use those services.” He laced his fingers between mine and rubbed my knuckles with his thumb.

“It’s still helping me since I don’t have to pay for them myself,” I noted.

“Lizzie,” his voice was serious. “Tell me honestly. If we weren’t dating, you would have accepted a job at Pemberley. You would have a higher steady salary than you do right now.”

“Well, yes,” I agreed. “But I’m enjoying the challenge of running my own company. Not wanting to be in a job where I had a relationship with my boss has pushed me and it’s making me grow.”

“I’m proud of you for that,” he said. “However it’s another way that I’m causing you financial hardship by being with me. I don’t want to do that to you.”

“The money doesn’t matter,” I told him sincerely. “You take care of me in every important way. Your love means more to me than anything.”

His eyes softened. “I love you more than I can ever show, Lizzie. Don’t you see I want to share everything I have with you? Isn’t that an important part of a committed relationship? If I was poor and you were wealthy, wouldn’t you feel the same as I do about this?”

“I see your point,” I felt a little cornered. “But I don’t feel right having you totally support me financially yet. That’s why we discussed all this before I moved in with you.”

“I know. It’s been a few months now and I thought you might be willing to consider some changes.” He looked a little sad. This obviously wasn’t just about my finances. 

I recognized this wasn’t fair. He’d been so anxious for me to move in with him, he would have agreed to any stipulation I made. I had held all of the power in our first negotiation. I considered how this must feel for him and what it meant for us. “Okay,” I conceded. “I’ll let you pay more for our groceries.” 

He had a huge grin (which for him was really just what other people did when they smiled normally), “Three-fourths of the total. And I want to pay for all of our utilities, since the bill is less than before you moved in.” 

I was relieved he was willing to be so happy with progress, not total capitulation. I was determined to still pay my own student loans and personal expenses. “You can pay for two-thirds of the grocery bill. I’ll let you handle the utilities if you let me put in more timers on our lights. But in return, I’m pushing back our upcoming re-negotiation on gift limits. We’ll go another three months before we revisit that issue.”

I saw a flicker of disappointment at my mention of the gift spending maximum. He had noticed a necklace I had admired while shopping recently that was above our limit. He thought for a minute. “Okay, if you allow me to buy you lingerie without it counting towards our gift limit. That’s really more for me than you.” He could also be cunning. 

I leaned in to kiss him. “I would not want to deprive you in that area,” I whispered against his lips. Our kiss deepened, and his hands moved down my back and ran up my sides. I sighed, and ran one hand along his jaw, while the other snaked down his chest. He stopped and gently pushed my head back so he could look into my eyes.

“Is any part of why you insist on paying for your every expense because of what I said that day about us being in different social classes or that your family’s financial difficulties mattered to me?” His eyes looked both apprehensive and penitent. 

I took a deep breath. He had more power over me than he realized, or else he knew but didn’t abuse it. When he looked at me like that, there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him to make that bereft expression go away. I knew better than anyone how hard it is to forgive yourself for having hurt someone you love. I smiled tremulously. “No,” I answered, then hid my face in his chest and hugged him. I kept my voice as even as I was capable of as I told him somewhat inarticulately that I would have wanted to be independent no matter what. 

I gave myself a moment and then pulled away to look him in the eyes. “I’ll loosen up after we are married.” It wasn’t very eloquent, but it was both a declaration and a promise. His face lit up and I was suddenly rolled over with him on top of me. He cradled my face in his hands and kissed me with a devotion that brought the tears back to my eyes. “You are my life, Lizzie,” his voice sounded raw. I nodded and concentrated on conveying all that I felt and could not say into our kiss.


End file.
